Arts

Gilbert Theater features the newest production: Assassins

pexels pixabay 257385 1The Gilbert Theater is indeed back for another production. The season is NOT over and this production is sure to intrigue audiences. The latest musical production to hit the community theater stage is Assassins. A far cry from musical productions such as Cats, Assassins takes musical theater and spins it on its head with a darkly fascinating concept and arguably some of the most complicated music written for a musical. Shows started March 8th, and will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until March 24th. Show times are Friday at 8 p.m. only, Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, at 2 p.m. only.

Assassins is based on the book written by John Weidman and adapted into a musical by Stephen Sondheim. A musical production unlike any other, Assassins tells the tale of nine men and women who have made an impact on history by trying and failing or successfully assassinating an American President. At its surface, a comedy peeled back to bare bones, Assassins is a social commentary on what drives the extreme in America and leads one to kill the leader of the “free world.”

Marie Lowe is at the director's helm of this season’s production of Assassins. An active member of the theater community here in Fayetteville for a decade, this is Lowe’s first time directing a musical.

I’m very pleased to be doing it. Assassins is a much beloved, kind of cult hit with musical theater people and Sondheim people… it’s very rarely produced, although this is the second time the Gilbert is doing it… I anticipate people really enjoying it because this cast is fantastic. It’s hard to do Assassins unless you have really good people because Sondheim is known for particularly technically difficult music… we got all the people, it’s really delightful,” Lowe said of her musical directorial debut.

Not a theater to not prepare for a production, the Gilbert Theater was able to bring in a musical director for the first three weeks of rehearsals.

Everyone learned their music and now we are just putting it on stage and it’s going to be fantastic,” Lowe said.

Artist Director Larry Carlisle, who has managed a successful season of amazingly diverse shows, is no musical expert but his knack for finding the right directors and musical directors has paid off this season, with the Rocky Horror Show being a brilliant success last fall.   “Generally, with musicals, I try to stay pretty hands-off… this one is pretty awesome… mostly I just try to let the director and music director do their thing because I know I can’t really offer anything of usefulness,” Carlisle said.

Assassins takes place in a carnival-like purgatory and John Wilkes Booth is the leader of the band of successful and unsuccessful assassins. The cast has put in the work, with some taking method acting to a new level, such as Chris Walker and Molly Malone. 

“I’m concerned the audience will like the cast too much. They are all so good, but they are playing people who are not lovable and who are not so good. They are doing a good job of trying to bring some of that into it as well,” director Lowe said of the casting for Assassins.

With a talented cast and an equally talented director, Assassins is a can’t-miss musical production. Tickets to the show can be found on the Gilbert Theaters website, https://www.gilberttheater.com/2023-2024-season/.

Unveiling cinematic gems: A look at the Best Picture Oscar nominees

oscarThe Oscars are coming up! According to the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences website, the story of why their most coveted trophy is called the Oscar comes from Academy librarian and event executive director Margaret Herrick who thought the statue resembled her Uncle Oscar. The name stuck. The Academy Awards are the most prestigious honor given during the year of Filmmaking with the first awards given in 1929. Best Picture has always been the top prize. Here are this year’s nominees and my favorites.

AMERICAN FICTION starring Jeffery Wright, Sterling K Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross and Erika Alexander tells the story of Monk (Wright), a frustrated novelist who is fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish book of his own which propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. This film is hilarious and powerful. I’m so glad that it is nominated so that it gets noticed by more audiences.

ANATOMY OF A FALL is directed by French filmmaker Justine Triet, the only female nominated for Best Director this year. The film centers around a woman who is suspected of her husband's murder and their blind son who faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness. This is not just a courtroom drama. It is a powerful story about the legal system itself and the mystery that follows a relationship and family. With its twists and turns through storytelling, it’s no surprise that it is nominated as well as its talented director.

BARBIE, directed beautifully by Greta Gerwig. Beautifully. Margot Robbie plays Barbie while Ryan Gosling plays her Ken. Barbie and Ken get a chance to go to the real world where they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans. Many people I have talked to who haven't seen the film are surprised when I tell them that this film is not a children’s film, it is for an older generation that grew up with Barbie as a symbol.

Barbie learns what it means to be a person and not just a perfect plastic doll. This film honors women and I love that for women all over. To add, the business side of me knows that this was a great move on Mattel, the maker of Barbie, in showing their new stances on womanhood.

THE HOLDOVERS stars Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Giamatti plays a curmudgeonly instructor at a prep school who remains on campus during Christmas break to sit with a handful of adventurous students with nowhere to go. He soon forms a bond with a smart but damaged boy, and with the school's head cook (Randolph) who has her own recent tragedy. The film is sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Giamatti and Randolph make this film worth watching with their award-winning performances. Do not be surprised if there is a trophy in Randolph’s hand come Oscar night.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, joins the list of many masterpieces directed by Martin Scorsese. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro. Love crosses paths with the worst betrayal in this story of Mollie Burkhart (Gladstone) and her husband (DiCaprio). Based on the best-selling novel, Bukhart is a member of the Osage Nation, who tries to save her community from a spree of murders fueled by oil and greed. This is an important American film that centers around the formation of the FBI. Lily Gladstone gives a “sure to win” performance.

Bradley Cooper follows up his directing debut of A Star Is Born with the masterfully done MAESTRO. The film stars Cooper and Carey Mulligan. On the verge of securing a golden opportunity, American conductor Leonard Bernstein begins a rollercoaster-like relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre, upturning their lives. Maestro touches on who we think we are meant to be professionally and privately and who we really are.

This film is beautiful and a must-see for any musical theatre fan. This is one of my personal favorites of the year. Up until seeing Oppenheimer, I believed that Maestro would take most of the awards. Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorese and Cooper produced the film.

OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan's masterpiece, centers around J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his struggles of working on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history. With stunning visual effects, photography and sound, Nolan doesn’t hold back. Nolan’s previous films including Batman trilogy, Inception and Interstellar have prepared him for this mature part of his career.
Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr all give close to perfect performances. Murphy and Downey will win Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor as well as Nolan for Best Director. Nolan gives us his best both in storytelling and visual effects. This is his year.

Celine Song’s PAST LIVES tells the story of Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, who are wrest apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Decades later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love and the choices that make a life. Song shows us the struggle of relationships that are separated by forces not in our control. Past Lives is a great lesson of humanity in a small independent film. This film is an important one, but was not one of my favorites on the Oscar list. Speaking of favorites…

Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Favourite, The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer brings us POOR THINGS starring Emma Stone as a woman brought back to life by a scientist played by Willem Dafoe. Stone’s character runs off with a lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) on a whirlwind adventure across the continents of the Old World. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

I love Poor Things. It gives us a glimpse of the realization of how hard the world is through the eyes of a misunderstood, childlike creature. It is our generation's Frankenstein. But please don’t think for one second that it is scary. It is rather hilarious. Stone is amazing in this picture. I am rooting for her to win Best Actress every time she is nominated.

Lanthimos is such an original and bold filmmaker, using fish-eye lenses and mixing a few modern-futuristic elements in a period piece. I love his use of black and white while also using bright colors.

THE ZONE OF INTEREST. This is the most important film of the year with Oppenheimer very close. From English director Jonathan Glazer, the film centers around Rudolf Höss, the head of the horrid Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, and his wife, Hedwig. As they strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp, we can only see the horrors of the camp from the top of the walls. Most films we see of the Holocaust period are shot black & white or gloomy. Glazer shows us the irony of bright colors.

The Nazis are living the perfect life on the backs of slaves right next door and it's disturbing. Another element very noticeable is the use of sound. This film should win for Best Sound because without it, much like the music in Jaws, you don’t “see” the full effect. The sound makes this film even more powerful and heartbreaking than it already is. This film shows us how easily we can normalize our lives when there is suffering happening right under our noses. The Zone of Interest will win Best International Picture, an award given to films not made in the United States.

Even though this writer feels that Zone of Interest should win Best Picture of the year for its global importance, historical warning and above all its original filmmaking, Oppenheimer will more than likely win for many of the same reasons. As said before, Oppenheimer is Nolan’s masterpiece and has won every other major picture award this year. The film has a very defining story of America.

The 96th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 10th at 7 p.m. on ABC. Check your streaming apps and check Cameo Art House Theatre movie listings for possible reshowings
of the nominees.

Studio SM2: Fayetteville’s bilingual photography studio

StudioSM2 photoProfessional photography is a thriving global business and Fayetteville doesn’t have a shortage of local premier photographers. Studio SM2 is adding to the talent and artistic eye of Fayetteville, located at 100 Hay Street Suite 704 in downtown.

Owner Jesus Sebastian Martinez, preferably referred to as Sebastian, is from Sincelejo, Colombia, and moved to the United States three years ago with his wife Lina, after studying business administration and graphic design. Unlike some photographers who have chosen to just shoot one style, Martinez is a photographer of many talents.

His photography skills range from professional headshots to high fashion; whatever the need, he has it covered. His enormous smile and keen eye for the “best side” of every client, make sessions with Martinez one-of-a-kind, comfortable experiences.

Photography isn’t the only service offered at Studio SM2. The studio offers videography and content creation services for individuals and businesses looking to take their social media presence to the next level, providing quality videos, creative direction and behind the scenes content. The studio is located within the Keep It Cute K Content Space, making it ideal for capturing photographs and video, in various beautifully decorated spaces.

”I accompany entrepreneurs in the creation of their businesses. I advise them and help them achieve what they want if they need a design, digital content, photographs, or ideas, because before delivering a final product, I am interested in people exploring and enjoying the process,” Martinez said.
Studio SM2 is a business born of pure artistic passion.

“I remember that when I was a kid, I liked photography, and more than taking photos of myself, I liked taking photos of other people. I remember that my mom had a roll black camera that was very old, then she changed it to a gray one, and I spent a lot of money taking photos of everything, of course she didn’t know…

"When I had my first digital camera, I found out the topic of videos and I started making videos and editing them, but I always did it for myself, to remember or to have memories and stories to tell. When I was 15, I had an advanced camera. The truth is that I took photos of everything that was interesting to me and that told me a story,” Martinez said.

“When I started studying Graphic Design, photography classes were my favorite and I began to find out more tools for photography,” Martinez said of his love for photography. When it comes to job experience, Martinez is well-equipped in his knowledge of creating content for clients and shooting stunning photos. While in Columbia, he racked up quite a resume working for companies like INSPIRA and even launched his educational project for children called +Inclusion. The United States was not in Martinez's original plan, but he has found a new mission and purpose here.

“I never imagined myself living in America and my English is not the best. But in my almost three years of living in this country, each experience has been enriching and rewarding. I have been able to connect with amazing people who have given me great learnings…I want to start creating learning spaces for the Latin community.

"I want to provide photography classes, content creation workshops, video editing workshops, social media workshops, and other creative workshops. I feel that there is a lot to contribute to the Latin community and I think this is the moment.” Martinez said.

Not a man to not give credit, Martinez is adamant that the secret to his success is his incredible wife Lina, a local ESL teacher. “She has been my model at 2 a.m. when I have wanted to take photos. Furthermore, she is my unconditional support, she is a beautiful woman, with surprising charisma and an adorable person. She is my right hand at Studio SM2 and we are always looking for new ideas.”

Lina is the driving force behind Sebastian, from helping him capture behind the scenes footage, to creative directing and translating. Studio SM2 is currently taking clients and Martinez has high hopes for the future of the studio.

“I want that Studio SM2 would be a famous space and brand in Fayetteville. I don’t want it to just be a space to take photographs, I want it to be known as a space to meet and connect with other people. I want people to feel comfortable, and safe and discover their best version in this space. I want Studio SM2 to be recognized as a unique experience, for our attention to small details to make a difference and to highlight that we want to show the best in each person,” Martinez said.

To book a session or view work, visit the studio website at https://studiosmtwo.my.canva.site/myportfoliostudiosm2.

Losing great poets: Remembering Fred Chappell

3827813708 79c4d62a9a kFred Chappell, former North Carolina Poet Laureate and longtime professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro died on January 4 at age 87.

To celebrate his contributions, I have revised a column I wrote in 2009 about his book of short stories, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

Asserting that his novels and short stories were equally as great as his poetry could get you in trouble with Chappell’s adoring poetry fans. They will think of him always as North Carolina’s Poet Laureate, even though his term ended in 2003.

Chappell was one of the rare poets whose excellence is celebrated both by his fellow poets and a significant public following.

There is no denying that he was a great poet.

But when he turned his poetry-tuned wordsmithing to his inventive, imaginative, and place-based stories, something even better than his poetry was the result, as demonstrated in his 2009 book, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

That book collected a variety of 21 stories. “Variety” is an insufficient description of the different experiences that Chappell gives his readers, taking them from the North Carolina mountains of the recent past to Sweden, France and England centuries ago; from North Carolina’s “good old boys” to the composer Haydn; from Newton’s theories to how to kill a deer.

After reading each story, I wanted to call some friend to say, “Fred Chappell wrote a short story especially for you.”

I want my hunting friends Doug Lay and Wendell Merritt to read “Tradition,” which takes its hero from his group into a deer blind so cold, as described by Chappell, that this reader started to shake.
For Peter White, former director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, “Linnaeus Forgets” is perfect. Chappell takes us to Sweden in 1758 where Carl Linnaeus, the designer of plant classification systems, discovers a plant that houses a community of thousands of tiny human-like creatures.

My former minister, Bob Dunham, could read the short story, “Judas,” and maybe explain Judas’s comment that Jesus was “simply goofy, a nut…. That was the whole trouble, you know. His kind of Madness is contagious.”

Retired music UNC Chapel Hill professor Tom Warburton and former New York Philharmonic lead oboist Joe Robinson would delight in “Moments of Light,” in which Haydn’s visit to Herschel’s (the discoverer of Uranus and also an oboist) observatory led to the composition of “The Creation.”

The despair that follows the loss of a best friend in a deadly accident as described in “Duet” would be familiar to a psychiatrist like the late Dr. Robert Bashford, who would have understood the power of the friend’s music at graveside to give comfort and relief.

The appearance of three genetically reconstructed Civil War soldiers in “Ancestors” would thoroughly entertain Civil War enthusiast Alan Stephenson.

The North Carolina Collection’s former director Bob Anthony could identify with the librarian in “The Lodger.” A dead poet tries to infiltrate and take over the librarian’s life.

Cliff Butler, a retired pharmacist who grew up in Dunn, could follow the country furniture store delivery team hauling a new freezer, the surprise “Christmas Gift” for a farmer’s wife, who had ironed tobacco leaves to get high bids of the buyers for her husband’s crop.

It was easy to tag Chappell’s stories as aimed at prospective men readers. But Chappell appeals to women, too, especially those who want to understand men and their crazy doings and firm friendships. Some stories are aimed right at women, as in “Gift of Roses,” the poignant tale of a blind woman who rescues heritage roses. Greensboro’s Margaret Arbuckle, who once tried to save an ancient rose bush from the advancing waters of Lake Norman, might also understand.

A few weeks before Chappell’s death, my family also lost a great poet and chronicler of mountain life, my brother, Mike Martin, who also died at age 87. While I will miss both of them, I will always be grateful for their opening doors for me to see the world in richer and deeper ways.

Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture

54967 logo wt26dddc4bs71623351112 600February is Black History Month, and there will be no shortage of activities for the public to participate in to immerse themselves in the culture and history of African Americans. Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture exhibition is one event no one should miss.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville Our People exhibit will run from Jan. 26th to March 2nd. Admission is free to the public. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Community members, churches, schools, and everyone in between are welcome to come enjoy the masterpieces of current black artists. This year’s exhibit jurors are Brandon Dean Johnson, Bryane Broadie, Makayla Binter and Bob Pinson, Arts Council of Fayetteville’s CEO and President.

Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture is a colorful, beautiful and sincere visual homage to black culture from black artists, a Black History Month exhibition that focuses on the grace, accomplishments and subject of current black artists.

“Our People is really contemporary, modern, and I refer to a phrase, forward-looking exhibit, in the sense that we really wanted to give flowers and also just acknowledge the artists. The artists that are making art right now are going to have stuff in museums and the history forward. So instead of focusing on the things that have already happened, we want to acknowledge the present and the future. I would say that a lot of the art and just the type of art that’s in the exhibit and just the way that you can interact with the exhibit is really in that same modern style,” said Miles McKeller-Smith, Director of Public Relations at the Arts Council.

Our People is a highly anticipated exhibit that has taken time, blood, sweat, tears and a little clarification to create the wonderfully magical experience the public has to look forward to. It is, for the most part, thanks to the work and dedication of the curator.

McKeller-Smith said, “First and foremost I think it’s important to bring up the Curator, Collyn Strother. He is a Fayetteville native and also a Fayetteville State Alumni and he’s an artist that has chosen to really do what he does here, and build a community here. When he had the opportunity to curate this event you could tell he really just took the
torch and ran with it.”

The Opening Reception was one for the books on Jan. 26th. An opening reception befitting of its show, the community came out to support Our People and the wonderful artists that are being featured, including local artists Lauren Falls and Chayla Walker. After an artist-only private reception, the gallery officially opened its doors for the public to view the exhibit. DJ Fudgee kept the ambiance of the night going, while Hip-Hop Collective The Social Contract stopped through for a performance. A night of celebrating black art wouldn’t be complete without spoken word. Keith Sowell held it down phonetically.

A celebration to start a celebration, community members have the entire month to take in the art of Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture.

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